Episode 181 Dragon (1)
“What, why is there nothing?”
Those were the words I blurted out as I entered the last floor.
Even though I had been farming so diligently, I couldn’t feel any movement from the top floor.
Only pale moonlight streamed through the window into the hallway.
For a moment, I felt a sense of emptiness. I had worked so hard to create this army of ghosts… … .
It didn’t take more than a minute, but I was running around quite a bit. However, if I try harder than that, I’ll end up with a bigger belly than stomach.
In that case, I would have just grabbed the sashimi and ran towards the final boss.
The reason I’ve been creating an army of ghosts is like insurance. To put it simply, it wasn’t a necessary virtue.
‘I made it because I was excited, but damn.’
I glanced around the fourth floor with a clear sense of disappointment, and then realized why I couldn’t feel anything in the hallway.
First of all, there was only one door. Across from me, a classroom with the Chinese characters 死靈死 written on it.
He greeted me and the ghost army with an ominous aura.
‘If the corridors were the main field up to the third floor, then this top floor seems to have a slightly different configuration.’
If you think about it, it wasn’t all in vain.
Even in Buffalo Dungeon, the area in front of Cow King’s room was quiet without a single demon.
The calm before the storm, right before the main curtain, is usually calm. It was a kind of device. Because the silence can maximize tension.
This one had a more substantial production than one where random guys just popped out.
‘Even in the Undead Dungeon, it was incredibly quiet before encountering the Draugr.’
A smile of relief appeared on my lips.
But, just in front of the final boss, I laughed… … .
After living in this world for nearly two years, I think I lost my mind at some point.
If you look at it positively, it means that I adapted well in my own way. It wasn’t bad.
Kkwwwww! Kkwww!
As if in sync with my mood, a roar erupted from behind. A thunderous roar just before entering the battlefield.
Looking at it this way, it was definitely a sorcerer. This also didn’t feel so bad.
I trudged along with the ghost army on my back. It was a boring march that made me yawn.
However, I must never let my guard down. It was a principle I had deeply engraved in my heart. I have survived until now because I have kept to it.
I raised my senses and scanned the area ahead. Nothing was detected.
I turned off my guard because the guys behind me would take care of it.
After running through the 200m or so hallway without any trouble, I arrived in front of the classroom where I expected the final boss to be.
【Death, death】
The blood-red door showed signs of corrosion and wear here and there. I pushed the door open, feeling its rough texture like sandpaper.
The sound of rusty metal. A terrible stench came into view, and beyond that, a wide, dark red-colored cavity.
Thump, thump.
In the middle of it all, a huge heart was chained and pulsating. In addition, the space was filled with standing ghost knights.
The number is roughly three hundred. They were guarding that heart as one army.
The eyes of the Ghost Knights lit up like flashing lights. They let out a sinister shout.
The next moment, the Ghost Knights created a hazy-shaped scythe and held it in their hands.
“her…….”
A hollow laugh escaped my lips. I know what kind of people they are.
The Angel of Death who harvests the dead. A-class demonic beast, Grim Reaper.
In particular, the scythe they wield, Death’s Scythe, is a vicious magical weapon that can take ten years of life from a person with a single successful hit.
Even during the playing days, the horse riding club was more famous than those guys.
Among users, it was called ‘Time Gang’, or ‘Sigang’ for short.
The users were shaking in fear at the sight of the horse that was almost a semi-instant death.
But those guys were the ones in charge of this nightmare and the ones guarding the core.
While the undead were considered low-level demons, the Grim Reapers were powerful even when viewed individually.
If I had come naked, I would have had no chance of winning. I am sure of that.
but…….
I laughed. It wasn’t because I had a screw loose in my head. I was just dumbfounded by this incredible coincidence.
I thought that this is why people are so obsessed with insurance.
I muttered to myself as I watched the men approaching me with scythes in their hands.
“One attack grants you ten years of life.”
Oh my gosh… … !
The ghosts surrounded me like a protective shield, as if they were not allowing any approach.
Snap. I snapped my fingers.
At that moment, the ghosts took a stance as if they were about to leap like leashed beasts. Growling – their teeth bared whitely.
I continued, scoffing.
“Then it’s useless against those whose lifespan has ended.”
‘Tak.’ The sound of skin rubbing against skin echoed through the room. At the same time, my troops charged toward the enemy lines.
Kwaaaaang!
The two camps clashed in the center of the common. The thousand-footed march shook the common.
That sound was the signal for the start of war.
The Grim Reapers swept their scythes like pitchforks, their ivory-colored blades cutting through the ghosts, then cutting them again.
They were as fierce as a well-trained army. They moved so mechanically that it was hard to believe that this was a sudden war. The scythes they swung had only one purpose.
‘Protect the core.’
So, I used my scythe to block the ghosts approaching my heart.
However, the course of the battle did not go as the messengers had intended.
No matter how hard I cut, the ghosts kept attacking me.
“Kueeeeeeeep!”
The ghosts ran wild like hunting dogs. They bit and tore at the effective blows with their whole bodies.
Their power was no match for that of the Reapers. They only had the advantage in numbers, but were inferior in everything else.
Still, this side had its own way.
The Grim Reaper shook off the enemies that had stuck to him like mosquitoes and stabbed them against his own body, almost like he was harming himself.
The ghost dodged the scythe with animalistic movements and thrust its teeth in again.
My army consists of ghosts who have long since died. So they can confront the sickle that cuts off their lives without hesitation.
There was no reason to avoid a dirty fight that would lead to death.
It eats away at your stamina with multiple light attacks rather than one heavy attack. And the reason for this has been revealed.
The messengers have switched from offensive to defensive. This is proof that my army has seized the opportunity.
The ghosts, taking advantage of their momentum, launched more agile attacks, roaring and trotting like wild horses under the spell.
They infiltrated the enemy lines and broke their ranks.
Ghost vs. Grim Reaper.
I quietly watched the battlefield of the extraterrestrial beings. I enjoyed hunting automatically with both hands in my pockets.
Kuung… … !
The last messenger fell. Only then did I take my hands out of my pockets and walk away. Towards the heart that was beating alone.
Slurp.
Now it was time to wake up from the nightmare.
* * *
[NEW! Complete the hidden quest ‘Horror Maison: The Nightmare Created by Joaquin’s Disaster’ to receive a reward.]
[▷ ‘Protection of Communication’ has been upgraded to spirit level.]
[… … .]
[… … .]
[Tip: Once only, you can cross the time line and talk to one of the characters from the past, present, or future.
※ Please use it carefully, as this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don’t regret it later, okay? (…….)]
* * *
“ah.”
The five people who had been standing blankly at the entrance to Aaron’s villa simultaneously let out exclamations.
They were breathing heavily, as if they were opening their eyes from a deep sleep. They were panting even though they were outdoors.
They were like that for a long time, like people who had just come out of a confined space.
It was a feeling that was hard to describe. A gloomy night wind blew between them.
It was Weapon’s voice that broke the strange silence.
“You, you guys… aren’t… ghosts… or are you… … ?”
Everyone nodded to the question that implied much.
Everyone’s faces were pale. They were sweating profusely despite the chilly weather. This was due to the strange phenomenon they had all experienced a little while ago.
Suddenly, Weapon turned his head forward. His hand was holding the doorknob of the annex.
“What the heck!”
Weapon was startled and quickly distanced himself. A rare harsh curse came out.
But no one said anything. Rather, those strong words spoke volumes about the state of mind.
In fact, if I had my way, I would have kicked the door open wide.
They stared silently at the entrance to the annex. It was a neat building, but its appearance was truly hideous.
I was possessed even though I hadn’t even entered the scene. It wasn’t just a dream. Could it be that all the shock and fear that filled their faces were a lie?
It was a vivid nightmare, but it was hard to tell when it started. In that sense, it was similar to a dream.
Squeak-
Suddenly the front door opened. Everyone froze like statues.
Only Abel managed to muster up the strength to place his hand on the hilt of his sword.
It wouldn’t have been strange if something had come out of that haunted house. They held their breath and stared at the entrance.
Damn it.
A foot stepped through the crack in the door. Abel pulled out the blade a span. Her eyes glowed coldly like the blade of a sword.
After a long silence, a voice came from the door. It was a familiar voice.
“Is this why you told me not to experience haunted houses? It’s so tiring.”
The one who opened the door was Kang Geum-ma. He slowly walked out with a tired look on his face.
Everyone was dumbfounded at the sight.
The heightened tension suddenly crumbled. Three out of five people collapsed.
Honestly, I was confused as to whether this was a scene from a dream or not. But when I looked at that face, I felt relieved.
That would be the case, since he was a strong swordsman. The psychological stability was more important than the anxiety that it might be a dream. His guard was slowly starting to let down.
After a while, Saki got up, her body wobbly. Her clothes were dirty from sweat and dirt. She approached Kanggeomma without caring.
“Geumma, what were you doing in there?”
Kang Geum-ma scratched his cheek. Then he responded with a complex and subtle expression.
“Exorcism?”
* * *
A few days passed. The members and I talked about that day several times.
First of all, ‘why’ did something like that come about within the academy? There were many opinions exchanged and plausible hypotheses and evidence were extracted.
A dungeon is a space where magical power is concentrated. The more worn, dark, and damp the environment, the more magical power is concentrated.
And the Aaron Cottage fits all those criteria: it’s old, it’s shabby, and it’s on the fringes of the fringes.
So, ‘how’ did magic permeate the Academy?
The clue was found in 『Horror Maison: The Nightmare Created by the Joaquin Phoenix Disaster』.
That day, 3rd Corps Commander Vesna released her magical power to the critical level.
The remaining magical power floated through the air on the wind and gathered in the Aaron Villa.
Moreover, the election site where the disaster occurred is in the northeast, and the Aaron Annex is in the southwest.
If the wind mixed with magic power blows, it is a straight position that will be completely exposed.
‘I don’t know why it ended up in a ghost den, but… … .’
I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling, thinking back on the rewards from the Horror Maiden dungeon.
-Only once, you can cross the time line and talk to one person from the past, present, or future.
A phrase that came to mind as the level of protection of communication increased.
Gaho, who was thought to be used only as a substitute for an interpreter, dropped a meaningful message. He even added a request.
-You only get one chance, so use it wisely. Don’t regret it when it comes.
As you said, I couldn’t just use it. For example, I could use it on myself three years from now to get an answer to the question, ‘Is humanity ruined?’
Without thinking too deeply, this was an absurd ability.
‘I need to think more about when to write it and who to write it to.’
Rollin~
A sharp dial tone rang out on the phone. It was a text from Choi Seol-ah.
[Choi Seol-ah: My lord… There’s a dragon you entrusted to me before… … .]
I entrusted my soul to Choi Seol-ah. I told her that I, a man, could not take her in, so she should be fed and given a place to sleep.
Choi Seol-ah whined that she was more comfortable living alone. I showed her the sashimi with a kind smile. Then she nodded readily and took care of it as if she was caring for her soul.
So, I receive reports on the state of my soul from Choi Seol-ah once every four days.
“Why does this guy speak like this in modern times?”
Then the LCD screen lit up again.
[Choi Seol-ah: I think something big has happened… … .]
